Friday, June 13, 2014

Lineage of No-Lineage

Richard Power and Joe Miller in Golden Gate Park in the early 1980s.

I
respect lineage. And I understand it. But it does not define me, or you,
or the truth.

No lineage can serve as a container for the whole of the
truth, or even the whole of a single being's journey into the truth.
There are truths that some (not all) of the lineages have sustained over
the centuries. There are also some truths that have survived within the
lineages, not because of them, but in spite
of them. There are even some truths which have only survived because
they have lived and flourished in the wild, i.e., outside the lineages.

Indeed, the secret ingredient itself (the one that makes it all blow
apart and come together at once) is one of those that only exists in the
wild.

Yes, I respect authentic lineage. I understand it. Unfortunately,
the lineage of no-lineage is not typically respected, or even
acknowledged, by those who identify with lineage, and in turn proffer
lineage to others. Thus many who follow lineage like a chicken with its
beak to a chalk line never learn of the secret ingredient. It is an open
secret, accessible to anyone anywhere at any moment.

You have heard it,
and even shared it with others, many times whether consciously or
unconsciously. So travel the path of lineage if you choose but remember
that it does not define you or me or the truth. Remember that lineage
itself does not impart authenticity, and that what authenticity there is
sometimes exists in spite of lineage, not because of it.

Meanwhile, the
secret ingredient is already in your possession, you could not be here
in this world without it; you just have to realize what it really is and
who you really are.

There is a long stretch of your journey in which
the only answers that serve you will have to be sought out in the wild. Out beyond where lineage can lead you.

This blog now focuses on exploring new language for the truths of the ancient future, and reflects insights into Vajrayana Buddha Dharma, Kashmir Shiva-Sakti philosophy, Hatha and Tantra Yoga, the Shamanic path, and other aspects of the world's collective mystical heritage. It also offers commentary on art, music, literature, human rights, sustainability, independent journalism, economic justice and the Climate Crisis.

For much of his life, Power worked in the fields of security and intelligence. He delivered briefings and led training in forty countries, and was an adviser to governments and corporations. His views have been featured in interviews on CNN, PBS, NPR and the BBC, and quoted in mainstream news media, including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters and Associated Press.